Honoring bodily autonomy from infancy
Core Idea: Babies first interact with the world through touch, making it essential to establish respect for their bodily autonomy by asking permission before handling them and acknowledging their responses.
Key Elements
- Permission Seeking: Verbally asking the baby before picking them up or handing them to others
- Reading Responses: Observing physical cues that indicate acceptance (smiling, moving toward you) or rejection (frowning, looking away)
- Verbal Acknowledgment: Thanking the baby when they allow you to hold them
- Consistent Practice: Maintaining this respectful approach throughout daily care routines
Implementation
- Before touching the baby, ask: "Hello, baby, may I pick you up?"
- Extend hands toward them and wait for a response
- Observe their gesture or body language carefully
- Respect their apparent choice, whether acceptance or rejection
- Verbally acknowledge their response: "Thank you" or "No worries, maybe next time"
Philosophical Foundation
This approach establishes from infancy that the child owns their body and has agency in how it is handled, laying groundwork for healthy boundaries and self-advocacy later in life.
Connections
- Related Concepts: Two-Way Communication with Babies (establishing dialogue), Gentle Hands (physical implementation)
- Broader Context: Montessori Respect Principle (fundamental principle)
- Applications: Diapering Routine (practical application), Caregiving as Connection Time (implementation context)
References
- Davies, Simone. "The Montessori Baby"
#respect #bodily-autonomy #infant-care #montessori
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